The Regional Institute of Population Studies (RIPS), University of Ghana, in collaboration with Ashaiman Municipal Health Directorate have observed the 2020 World Cities Day with residents of Ashaiman.

The day was marked with a float through the principal streets of Ashaiman and climaxed with a durbar at the Mandela Park.

This year’s World Cities Day celebration is the seventh since its inception in Shanghai, China in 2014.

It aims at focusing the international community’s attention on urbanization as a central issue for development, while encouraging global cooperation in addressing those issues.

The 2020 celebration is on the theme, “Promoting healthy communities and cities for adolescents, the role of the stakeholders” with a sub-theme, “valuing our communities and cities”.

Executive Director of RIPS of UG, Professor Joseph Yaro, said the celebration was in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 11, which articulated the ambition to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Prof Yaro said it was also to raise awareness on issues affecting the cities, especially those relating to promoting adolescents health, and general wellbeing as it sought to create a platform for them to express their thoughts about their rights, hopes, and dreams for the cities they lived in.

Ashaiman Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Albert Boakye Okyere, stated that, Ashaiman was selected to host the world cities day due to its significance as far as development was concerned.

Mr. Okyere said there had been an increase in access to household toilet facilities in Ashaiman from 14 to 21 per cent within the last three years.

The MCE said to ensure a clean city, the Assembly had intensified its enforcement of sanitation bye laws.

Member of Parliament for the Ashaiman, Mr Ernest Henry Norgbey, called for attitudinal change among residents towards the environment, saying everyone must consider him or herself as a  stakeholder in battle for a safe and healthy Ashaiman.

The MP called on the Assembly, to reintroduce the monthly clean-up exercise.